NEW DELHI: Ahead of Delhi Capitals’ high-voltage encounter against Mumbai Indians at the Arun Jaitley Stadium, batter Ashutosh Sharma addressed the media in a calm yet confident press conference on Saturday.
The 26-year-old, still fresh off a match-winning unbeaten 66 off 31 balls against Lucknow Super Giants in their IPL season opener, spoke about his journey, preparation, leadership under Axar Patel, and the team’s homecoming to Delhi.
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Ashutosh opened up on the buzz around the Impact Player rule, stating it’s about staying in the moment and trusting the process.
“It is about focusing on the process. When it’s time to bat, you just have to complete your role. I keep things simple and avoid taking pressure. When the time comes to bat, just play your natural game and do what I’ve learned,” he said.
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On returning to Delhi for their first home game of the season, Ashutosh expressed his enthusiasm: “It was my first year in Delhi, so I was really excited before the season. And the way we’re playing, it feels great to represent Delhi Capitals. It feels even better that now we’ll play on our own ground in front of our fans.”
He also lauded the leadership of Axar Patel, saying, “Axar bhai leads with a calm head. He makes everyone feel comfortable, especially the younger players. The culture in the camp is very open. You can talk about anything with him, and that creates a great environment.”
On the pitch conditions expected in Delhi, Ashutosh remarked, “Everyone’s well aware these days (what kind of pitch one should expect). With the kind of cricket we play and the data we have, players generally know how a pitch will behave. It’s more about adapting to the match situation. If we lose early wickets, I have time; if I come in late, I need to go hard. It all depends on the scenario.”
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“I’ve worked harder and tried to fix things I couldn’t do last year. I’ve learned a lot through experience. Playing at number 6 or 7 regularly gives you a good understanding — when to play which shot, how to handle which bowler,” he further added.
Despite carrying a cut on finger into the opening match, Ashutosh insisted on batting and single-handedly won the match for DC with an unbeaten knock of 66 runs off 31 balls.
“Two days before the match, I had a cut injury, and it was a bit troubling. It was the first match and it happened just before that. But I said, no matter what, I will bat. I have to bat for the team,” he added.
With DC on a four-match winning streak and MI desperately trying to find form, Sunday’s clash promises high drama, with Ashutosh Sharma potentially looking to treat the Delhi crowd with his big hits.
Get the latest IPL 2025 updates on Times of India, including match schedules, team squads, points table and IPL live score for CSK, MI, RCB, KKR, SRH, LSG, DC, GT, PBKS, and RR. Don’t miss the list of players in the race for IPL Orange Cap and IPL Purple cap.
